Blood Ties
by Sariel 001
Summary: Warning Spoilers for the Fifth Book. Sirius can be brought back. Cross overs with Garth Nix's Abhorsen
1. Chapter One

I refuse to believe that Sirius' Black is dead. So I created a mixed world where he can be brought back to live. If you don't know, I have crossed the worlds of Harry Potter and Garth nix's world of the Abhorsen. (FYI Abhorsen = the opposite of a necromancer.) So I hope u like the story and by the way I do not own the Harry Potter characters or that of Garth Nix.  
  
Chapter One  
  
Harry stared up at the ceiling. After looking at the bumps and rises in the stucco, he would begin to see images within them by connecting the dots, so to speak. It used to be a game for him when he was bored and did not feel like working on his summer assignments, which was the majority of the time. But now, it was torture because everything reminded him of Sirius. Letting out a deep sigh, Harry sat up and looked out his window onto the well- trimmed lawns of Privet Drive. "You've got to stop doing this. He's not coming back," Harry said to no one in particular. Harry had spent many nights since he came back from Hogwarts staring out into the night hoping against all hope that a black, bear-like dog would suddenly materialize on the Dursleys' lawn. Every bark he ever heard would cause hope to rise in him like a phoenix from its ashes and would be dashed with painful, burning hurt when he saw that it was not his god-father. Forcing him self away from the window, Harry opened Hedgwig's cage and let her out. She gave Harry a soft hoot and flew onto his lap. She gave him an affectionate nip as he gave her snow white feathers a smooth over. Then it hit him, a painful tug at his heart, as he felt his chest tighten from sadness and hurt. "I miss him so much, Hedgwig." Harry could feel the hot stinging tears in his eyes, threatening to spill. Then as if to answer his grief, a sleek black and white peregrine falcon swooped into his room. Harry could only watch with fascination as the falcon finally perched on his windowsill. The falcon stuck out his leg and revealed a tightly rolled up piece of parchment. Untying it from its leg, Harry was slightly disappointed when the falcon left just as quickly as it had entered. Turning his attention back to the roll of parchment, Harry began to read:  
  
Mr. Potter:  
  
Sirius is still alive. Contact Remus Lupin.  
  
Lhuin  
  
Harry felt like fainting, and then he felt like leaping for joy. Sirius is alive! Then reason crept back into his mind. What if this was a death eater trying to lure him out? Now that Harry thought about it, the more it made sense. If Sirius was alive, he would have contacted Harry personally. "What should I do, Hedgwig?" Looking at his bird, she gave him an encouraging hoot. "Right." What he needed now was a quill and parchment. In his hurry he had forgotten that Hedgwig was still on his lap. After an awkward and ungainly flight back to her perch on top of her cage she gave Harry a very indignant hoot. "Sorry, girl, but this is urgent." Harry could hardly sit still as he wrote to Lupin. Rolling up his letter with the brief message written by the strange writer, Harry tied the parchments to Hedgwig's leg. Giving her a quick but loving ruffle of her feathers Harry placed her on the windowsill. "Good luck." As Harry watched his owl fly out of sight, he tried to quell his rising hope. He knew he should not hope for a miracle, but something inside him told him that this was real.  
  
The next evening, the Dursleys had noticed the drastic change in Harry's disposition. While they sat down for dinner, Vernon kept a close watch on Harry until the fidgeting became too much for him. "What are you up to, boy?" Vernon asked suspiciously. "What are you talking about?" Harry snipped. "Yesterday, a parade of howling monkeys could not get you to move, but now you are twitching as if you have fleas." "I wouldn't be surprised if he does have fleas," snickered Dudley. Harry sneered at his enormous cousin. "Nothing is going on." Harry tried to calm his racing mind. Come on Lupin. Why haven't you written back? Harry's mind was so preoccupied that he did not hear the doorbell ring. "Who in bloody hell is that?" Vernon demanded. The bell rang another time. Now all of the Dursleys were staring at Harry. "Are you deaf?" Vernon shouted at Harry. His face had matured past two shades of purple. "Get the bloody door." Harry got up slowly and took his time deliberately. Muttering to himself, Harry reached for the door handle and swung the door open so hard, he was sure he was going to rip it off its hinges if he had the strength. Well, the last person Harry expected to be standing in the doorway of Number Four on Privet Drive was Remus Lupin himself, and to add to his greater surprise, Albus Dumbledore right behind him. "Lupin, Headmaster Dumbledore." Harry stepped back to let them in. "Hello, Harry." Lupin gave him a small smile. Sitting on Dumbledore's shoulder was Hedgwig. "What's going on here?" Vernon bellowed as he came into the hallway to see his unwelcome guests. Petunia and Dudley were right behind him. Aunt Petunia's face fell even longer and turned paler than Harry thought was humanly possible. "Hello, Mr. Dursley. We have some business with young Harry here and will be taking him with us for the rest of the summer break," said Dumbledore with infinite politeness. Before Vernon could argue, Petunia piped in, "Makes no difference to us. Take him." Dumbledore turning his smiling eyes toward Harry. "If that is ok with you, Harry." "Are you kidding?" Harry ran up and before Dudley could say banana cream pie, Harry was coming down the stairs with his trunk and Hedgwig's cage. "Let me get that for you, Harry." Lupin pulled out his wand. "Remus, I think this time we should do it the muggle way," Dumbledore suggested. "Oh, right." Harry was thrilled that he could leave, but he was also bursting with curiosity. Surely, if both Lupin and Dumbledore are here then that meant the letter had to mean something. But who was this Lhuin and was she a death eater or could it be that Sirius is really alive? 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
  
The silence nearly killed Harry as they traveled toward their destination. He had been itching to ask his questions since they had left Uncle Vernon's house. Well, it was now or never.  
  
"Um, Head Master Dumbledore?" asked Harry tentatively. Harry remembered how he had been so angry with him last year for keeping him in the dark. A new wave of guilt exploded in his heart when he knew if he had just thought things through he would have understood that Dumbledore had always had nothing but the best of interests at heart when it came to him. Not only that, but the one wizard that Voldemort ever feared had cared about more than he could have ever imagined. "Yes, Harry?" he answered in a kindly voice.  
  
"May I ask where we are going?"  
  
"To see Lhuin."  
  
"So the letter was real? Sirius is alive?" Harry could not help but shoot out his questions without giving Dumbledore the time to answer them.  
  
"I do not know for sure, Harry." Dumbledore replied. "Lhuin is a necromancer." Harry's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "But aren't they." Before Harry could finish the thought, Lupin interrupted. "Usually. They can get really nasty and in truth a necromancer really doesn't bring back the dead back to life. They actually bring the angry and evil sprits that refuse to pass on to inhabit the dead body." "Then, Sirius can't be alive." Harry's heart sank. "Harry, when it comes to death. There are different levels. When a necromancer says that some one is alive, they mean they have not yet passed on to the final level," Dumbledore added, sensing Harry's heartbreak. "So you mean, Sirius might be caught in between life and real death?" "Exactly," replied Dumbledore. "But how can we trust a necromancer?" Harry added. "Because." Dumbledore began. "Yes?" "Lhuin is Sirius' daughter." "Pardon me?" Harry didn't know if he was hearing Dumbledore right. "Lhuin Black is Sirius Black's daughter, your god sister." "What?" Harry was not sure he could take any more of this. "How come Sirius never told me?" "Sirius didn't know she was still alive," Lupin replied sadly. "Perhaps, we should let Lhuin explain the rest," Dumbledore added. "I agree." Remus looked at Harry. "Please be a little more patient, Harry because even we don't know all the details." Harry was about to protest, but kept his mouth shut. Sirius has a daughter?  
  
Lhuin sat in the corner of Three Broomsticks nursing a pint of butter beer. She had her black cloak over her robes with the hood pulled over her head shadowing her face. Lhuin feel the apprehension in the room. She noticed that several of the witches and wizards were giving furtive glances toward her. However, Lhuin understood their anxiety, now that the dark Lord has in fact returned. Thinking she should at least alleviate some of their anxiety, she decided to remove her hood, revealing straight raven hair, amber eyes that almost seemed like the color of gold and a beautiful face. However, she did not dare to reveal her robes or what she had strapped across her chest. She scanned the crowd once more and noticed that a few had relieved looks upon their face. Then her eyes fell on a familiar face, the one she had been waiting for: Remus Lupin. Getting up in an unhurried manner, Lhuin made her way toward Remus. She nodded a greeting at her father's childhood friend. He twitched nervously and gave her a weak smile in return. "You are looking well, Remus." Lhuin said quietly. "You too, Lhuin." Lhuin however, was not paying attention to his reply. She had noticed that he was staring at her cloak. "Still in the family business." "It's not what you think, Remus." Lhuin replied. Remus noted a slight glimmer in her bedazzling eyes, as if that last remark made a ripple, but her countenance remained serious and dignified. "Look, let's get out of here," Remus said hastily. "Where are the others?" "They are waiting for us a further ways down. It would be best if they were not seen with you here." Lhuin gave Remus a sharp glare, but instead of making a retort she only nodded and followed Remus out. Once outside she stopped him. "Meet me at the Howling Shack. I will be near the twisted whippoorwill," Lhuin turned and left Remus alone to get Dumbledore and Harry. As Lhuin stalked away toward the Howling Shack, she had to suppress her anger. The sudden urge to strangle something was rising fast. Cool it, Lhuin. Calm down. Lhuin took a deep breath. Why am I doing this? He never cared about me. Lhuin let her head drop, and silently admitted her defeat. She loved him, even if he didn't love her. She had always loved her father.  
  
Harry did not know what to expect. He never met a necromancer and had never planned to. Harry was sure that he had already created a well-worn track in the soft grass as he paced nervously. Dumbledore remained stoic and calm as ever. Then Harry saw Lupin. "Where is Lhuin?" asked Harry, a sudden surge of panic that this had all been a set up. "She'll meet us at the Howling Shack," replied Remus. Again feeling Harry's anxiety, Dumbledore added, "then, let's be on our way." 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
  
As they drew near, Harry saw the cloaked figure waiting near the ominous twisted tree. It looked like it was in pain every time he saw it. When Harry was finally able to see Lhuin, he was completely caught off guard. She was beautiful. Harry believed she was no more than five years older than him. Harry had half-expected some ugly witch with a crooked nose and a huge wart on the end of it with a chain of human bones around her neck, because how can anything evil look good. But then again, neither Lupin nor Dumbledore ever said she was evil, Harry had assumed that all necromancers were bad. Stopping nearly a foot away from her, Harry was greeted by a cold flash of her golden eyes. "You certainly have grown since I last saw you, Lhuin," Dumbledore said with the barest hint of affection. Lhuin remained speechless. She had no idea that Dumbledore even remembered her. "Of course I remember you. You made quite the impression on me." Lhuin chuckled as what appeared to be a fond memory finally found its way back to her consciousness. "I never meant to put that chocolate frog in your hat, sir." Harry saw a twinkle of mischief in her honey-golden eyes. In fact, Harry was quite taken by the color of her irises. He had never seen a person with eyes that color. "We better get going. The faster we do this the better the chance of getting Sirius back." Lhuin's tone was completely all business now, as if she wasn't trying to save a father, but was merely there to do them a favor. "Certainly." Dumbledore indicated for Lhuin to lead the way. Lhuin however, did not take a single step in any direction. Instead, she pulled out from within her robes, a small onyx statue of a cat. "It's a port key. It will save us a vast amount of time." Dumbledore, Lupin and Harry touched the statue. "Ready?"  
  
It never was a question to be answered. Ready or not they were all going to go. Harry felt the instant pull of the port key as it drew him in, middle first. He felt his knees buckle as he warped to their destination. "Where are we?" asked Lupin. "My home," answered Lhuin. "At least for the time being." Lhuin removed her cloak and revealed a dark blue robe with very odd symbols embroidered in gold, trimmed on the hems of her sleeves and neckline. Around her waist was a well-worn black leather belt that held her long sword and a small, sheathed dagger. Both were elegantly made and Harry noticed that they too were engraved with the same, strange markings. But what really had Harry baffled was what she wore across her chest. It was a rich-brown, leather bandolier. It appeared as if they held bells of varying sizes, seven to be exact, in order from the smallest to the largest. The bell handles were made from well-polished mahogany wood. "Follow me."  
  
Lhuin led them into a small well-lit room toward the back of the house. As the four of them shuffled into the room, Harry's eyes only noticed one thing in the entire room. There, on a simple wooden cot was the body of Sirius. A mix of hopelessness and despair filled his heart as his mind began to say that Sirius couldn't possibly be brought back. On the other hand, Harry felt as if he would give anything to bring him back. It was then Harry realized that Lhuin had returned from somewhere and had brought back another cot. She laid it beside the other and sat on the edge. Lhuin then noticed the apprehension in Harry's eyes. She felt a slight twinge of guilt for her cold demeanor toward him in their initial meeting. It was clear to her, Sirius meant a lot to Harry. "Harry, I strongly believe I can bring him back. But dealing with death is always a very uncertain thing. However, I know that you and Sirius were close. That is going to help me greatly in bringing Sirius back to life and it will help Sirius find his way back." Then Lhuin leaned in more to whisper something only for Harry to hear, "your heart will know, Harry." Lhuin gave Harry a quick kiss on his forehead, near his scar. She then choose the sixth bell on her bandolier and held it silent with her other hand. "Sirius can't be too far. He is holding on to your memory, which is what is keeping him from passing on completely. He knows the future holds great danger for you." Harry could not speak. He felt his throat tighten with fear and grief. So he only nodded. Lhuin gave him one last reassuring smile and laid back into the cot. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Harry watched with wonder as her breath condensed as if it was in the middle or winter and not in the mist of a heat wave. Her beautiful face suddenly drained of color and turned deathly pale. All he could do now was wait. The minutes ticked by at a snail's pace and were just as torturous. Icicles have now formed at the corner of Lhuin's eyes and her skin was covered in a thin layer of frost. Suddenly, her lips moved. "Call to him, Harry." Her voice was thin and strained, but it was still clear. "Sirius?" Harry felt a little awkward. "Keeping calling him." "Sirius, it's me Harry. Can you hear me? Sirius?" At that instant, Sirius' eyes snapped open. Harry nearly fell back from surprise. He backed away as Sirius sat up. Harry watched as the newly animated body looked around and then settled on Harry. He smiled. Harry wanted to rush over to him, but something held him back. He did not know what it was, but it was like a nagging presence. Then Harry knew that it was something about the eyes. They seemed different. They seemed empty, soulless. Nothing in them gave any hint that this thing was human. "Harry," the thing spoke. It had Sirius' voice, but like its eyes it was lifeless. "Harry, step back." Lupin and Dumbledore were already poised with their wands. It stood up and came toward them. Before Lupin or Dumbledore could even utter a spell, Lhuin had come from behind and tackled the imposter. In the mist of their struggle, Lhuin managed to pull out another bell and rang a note, pure and true. "Sleep!" Lhuin commanded. Harry struggled to fight off the sudden urge to fall asleep on his feet. When Harry finally cleared his head, he noticed that both Lupin and Dumbledore were doing the same. Of course, Dumbledore had recovered faster than all of them, but Sirius' body lay on the floor with Lhuin's beside it. They had gone back into death. 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
  
Harry did not know what to make of what had just happened. He wondered if they should attempt to move them, but held his thought in check as he saw Sirius once again rise. But this time they were greeted with a groan. Lupin and Dumbledore remained ready for anything, but Harry already knew who it was. Lhuin was right, his heart did know. It was Sirius. He was back.  
"I swore I would never feel this way after we got plastered at James and Lily's wedding reception," Sirius groused.  
Harry was not sure who was more surprised by that comment, him or Lupin. But when Harry heard Lupin start laughing, he knew Lupin was convinced. Harry ran over to his godfather and was at a loss for words, so instead he gave him a big, bear hug.  
"Oh, hey. It's good to see you again too, but easy there, Harry."  
"Sorry." But it didn't really seem like it, because he was positively beaming.  
"Hey, Moony, be a pal and give me something to drink, will you?"  
"Here's some water."  
"Water? Is that all you have?"  
"Yup, that's Sirius," Lupin smirked as Sirius took the cup from his hand. Sirius gulped the water like a man just liberated from the Sahara Desert. The room was in a delighted ruckus as Lupin, Dumbledore, and Harry welcomed Sirius back and kept handing him pitchers of water. It was only then, that Harry realized that they had completely forgotten about Lhuin. Turning to where Lhuin should have been lying, Harry saw nothing but empty space.  
"Where's Lhuin?" All turned to see where Lhuin should have laid.  
"She has retired to her own room," a strong deep voice replied. They all turned to see a handsome man in his early forties standing in the doorway. He had black hair with streaks of silver that matched his gray eyes. He wore a black tunic with black pants paired with a pair of thick- soled, military-style, black boots. Harry noticed that he too had a long sword on his leather belt and a bandolier of bells across his chest. "Pardon my intrusion, my name is Rayus. Lhuin has asked me to show you all to your rooms. It is best that you all stay until the morning."  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Rayus. I am Albus Dumbledore and this is Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and this young man, is Harry Potter."  
"Yes, I have heard you, Mr. Dumbledore. Even among us, you are well respected." Rayus gave a curt but polite nod of respect. "If you please." Rayus motioned them to step out of the room.  
As they followed this mysterious new stranger, Harry could not help wondering why Sirius did not even ask to see his daughter. When at last Rayus showed Harry his room, Harry could not help but ask him what was on his mind.  
"Do the ones that come back from death lose some of their memory?" asked Harry. The sudden question had Rayus unprepared.  
"No, they should not. Why do you ask?"  
"Wouldn't Sirius know his own daughter's name?" Then it suddenly dawned on Rayus. It was true that Sirius made no mention whatsoever about Lhuin.  
"All will be answered in the morning, Mr. Potter. Please get some rest."  
"One last question, please?"  
"Yes?"  
"I thought all necromancers were bad," Harry said slowly, hoping he did not offend him. Rayus gave him a small smile.  
"They are," Rayus said matter-of-factly. "But Harry," Rayus leaned in and gave him a sly wink. "We are not necromancers. We are Abhorsens."  
Harry was lulled from his dreamless sleep when the delicious aroma of eggs and sausage entered his room. Realizing he was half-starved, Harry jumped out of bed and grabbed his glasses and whipped through his morning rituals faster than humanly possible it seems. Practically running down the stairs, Harry was a little surprised to see that he was in fact the first one down. It was then that Harry remembered his very brief conversation with Rayus. Perhaps Lhuin would be a little bit nicer to him now that everything was ok. Obviously, an Abhorsen had the same knowledge of death as a necromancer, but where did the difference lie and how could anyone be sure if the person was a necromancer or an Abhorsen?  
Harry found Lhuin standing in front of the stove frying the eggs and sausage while a gooey waffle iron was attempting to cook the waffle batter. Lhuin had changed into normal muggle clothes and he must note she had a better sense of muggle fashion than many wizards and witches combined. Well, at least so that she would not be noticeable in public. Lhuin had changed into a black tank top with a pair of blue jeans and black and white sneakers. Then Harry's eyes fell on the three angry red slashes that ran from her left shoulder and down across past her shoulder blades. They were already closed and healing but they still looked raw and painful.  
"They're nothing, Harry. Please have a seat and eat something." Lhuin did not turn around but her tone made Harry sense that her initial coldness was due to the stressful events of last night. Taking a seat, Harry felt his mouth water uncontrollably as Lhuin turned around with a plate of eggs, sausage, two waffles, and buttered toast. After setting it in front of him, Harry practically wolfed down half of it when she returned with two glasses of pumpkin juice and milk.  
"Thank you," Harry managed to say in between bites.  
"What were they doing to you? Starving you?" Harry assumed that Lhuin must have meant his uncle and aunt.  
"Well, as close to starving as you can get considering you still got something to eat." Lhuin looked a little shocked. Her golden eyes seemed to burn with anger.  
"What horrible people."  
"Unfortunate necessity, I am afraid." Both Lhuin and Harry turned to see Dumbledore coming down the stairs with Remus following right behind him.  
"Necessity?"  
"Simply put, for Harry's safety from Voldemort," replied Dumbledore as he took a chair. Lhuin only nodded and served up two more plates of food. "This looks wonderful."  
"I would advise you to try it before you pass judgment," Lhuin said.  
"I think it is very good," Harry said. Lhuin looked at him and smiled. Harry marveled how much her eyes could convey her feelings. Her eyes now seemed like the color of honey and were filled with warmth.  
"Thank you. I not the cooking type. But I couldn't let you starve either."  
"What do you mean? You do it to me all the time," Rayus said affectionately as he entered from the back kitchen door. Lhuin gave him an unflattering look.  
"I'm not your keeper. I am an Abhorsen," Lhuin said in what appeared to be in all seriousness, but Harry could hear the teasing in her tone.  
"Uh, by the way, what exactly is an Abhorsen?" asked Harry, still not entirely sure if he said it right.  
"We banish the dead," replied Rayus. "The necromancer brings back the dead into life. We send them back."  
"Then how can we tell if you are an Abhorsen or a necromancer?"  
"You're just going to have to trust your instincts, Harry," Lhuin simply stated. 


End file.
